THE SECRET SPIES IN THE SKY - Imagery, Data Analysis, and Discussions relating to Military Space

SatTrackCam Leiden (Cospar 4353) is a satellite tracking station located at Leiden, the Netherlands. The tracking focus is on classified objects - i.e. "spy satellites". With a camera, accurate positional measurements on satellites of interest are obtained in order to determine their orbits. Orbital behaviour is analysed.

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

Nice pass of USA 129

The evening initially started clear. I observed the ISS, the Lacrosse 3 & 4 (97-064A & 00-047A) and the Keyhole USA 129 (96-072A).

Lacrosse 3 was very bright (+1) while descending to the west, showing multiple slow flares. USA 129 was very nice, +2.5 and grazing the tip of the Big Dipper's tail. It resulted in the nice picture below. The bright star grazed halfway by the trail is eta Uma, the tip of the Big dipper tail. Alcor and Mizar are in top. Movement is from righ to legt. The smudge at the left edge of the picture is clouds.

1 comment:

John C McConnell
said...

Hi Marco, great blog and full of interesting images/info. I have an image I would like you to see, and would love to contact you though I don't seem to be able to do that. Perhaps you could contact me on johnmcconnell9929[at]hotmail[dot]com Many thanks.

About the Author

Dutch, 47, PhD, stone age archaeologist, meteoriticist, satellite tracker, meteor observer, asteroid discoverer. Consultant in a Space Situational Awareness project with the Space Security Center of the Royal Dutch Air Force and Leiden Observatory. As an invited expert I advised members of Dutch Parliament about military satellite systems and their locations during a 2016 foreign affairs committee hearing about the MH17 disaster.
Asteroid (183294) Langbroek was named after me. In 2012, I received the Dr. J. van der Bilt Prize of the Royal Dutch Astronomy Association (KNVWS) for my work on meteors, asteroids and satellites.
Opinions expressed on this blog are entirely my own.
You can find me on Twitter via @Marco_Langbroek

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Use of photographs and video from this blog for scientific or educational purposes, or by news agencies in news items is allowed, provided that the source is acknowledged. Images are released under a Creative Commons BY-NC license, except for those released on Wikicommons under the license stated there, and with the addition that news media may freely use them with source acknowledgement. Note that this only concerns my own imagery posted here, not imagery by others which I post with permission!

Excerpt from United Nations resolution 2222 (XXI)

Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

In order to promote international co-operation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, States Parties to the Treaty conducting activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, agree to inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations as well as the public and the international scientific community, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations and results of such activities. On receiving the said information, the Secretary-General of the United Nations should be prepared to disseminate it immediately and effectively.